Eat. Live. Enjoy.

It’s a weekday evening and I arrive home from work to find fresh corn, kale, sweet potatoes and a few onions. It doesn’t sound like much but then I realized I could make a combination of my Summer Veggie Succotash and my Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprout Hash. I was NOT prepared for the deliciousness that followed. It honestly tasted like a veggie paella but without the rice! As Scott so eloquently put it “it just clumps together so nicely”!

You can use regular paprika but I highly recommend the spicy kind for this dish – well, for any dish really :).

So I hope you enjoy the ‘clumps’ and flavor of this easy, simple and fresh dish!

Place oil and onion in a saute pan and heat until onions become fragrant. Add in shredded sweet potatoes and cook on medium to high heat (about 5-8 minutes) until potatoes begin to brown.

Meanwhile, cut corn kernels from the cobs: Hold an ear by its stem end in a deep bowl. Use a small sharp knife to cut off the kernels, letting them and the ‘milk’ fall into the bowl. Discard the cobs.

Once potatoes are ready add the corn, beans and spices. Mix well and cook for another 5 or so minutes.

Add kale or spinach and either cover to wilt greens or mix frequently until the greens are wilted.

Spice as needed and serve warm.

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Notes: Feel free to add any additional veggies you’d like. Recipe is shown with tomatoes added in after the sweet potatoes browned but I actually preferred the taste of it the time I made it without tomatoes.

I’ve been seeing poblano’s everywhere lately and while I have never cooked with them before, something about them just drew me in! I made a stuffed poblano recipe that needs a little work before it goes on this site and then followed it up with this recipe.

It takes a little work but Scott and I ate this every night for about 4 nights because it makes enough to serve 8. So, on an evening or an afternoon where you have some time, whip this up and enjoy it for the week or freeze and reheat at a later time. We surely were not sick of it by night 4……

When I made it the first time, I didn’t write out the exact spice quantities so I remade it for lunch today and enjoyed it along side a delicious salad. If someone claims to not like brussels sprouts, I encourage them to try out this dish. They are sliced so thinly and the way the combine with the sweet potato is bound to make any one a convert!

When I posted Five 20 minute meals, I got a lot of great feedback because many people get home from work late and just don’t have time to spend hours cooking a meal… but just because you are busy or work late doesn’t mean you can’t end the day with healthful wholesome meals. So here is a week’s worth of meals you can make in 30 minutes or less :). And the good news is you’ll probably have left overs to take with you for lunch!

I made this dish for Scott and I a few weeks back and we loved it. This week we were bringing dinner to a friend and his wife and I had to come up with something I could cook earlier in the day and then reheat as I was coming straight from the studio and this was the first thing that popped into my mind. This dish can easily be made earlier or even the night before and then just reheated prior to serving as it allows the flavors to really soak in. A few of the comments I got that night included: “This is exactly what they serve in Morocco” & “This might be the best dinner ever”, so I would say it was a success. I got this from the fabulous Kris Carr and her amazing book Crazy, Sexy Kitchen, but modified a bit to fit my tastes.

In a large heavy-bottom shallow pot or deep skillet [cast iron works best] on medium heat, add oil, onions, and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and golden, stirring continuously for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the spices, tomato paste, vegetable stock, carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnip. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Cooking time may vary based on the thickness of chopped veggies.

When the root veggies are tender, add the bell pepper, chickpeas, artichokes, and raisins. Continue simmering for about 5 to 8 minutes. Liquid should be reduced and thicker at this point.

Add parsley, cilantro, mint and sea salt, folding in all of the herbs. Cover and remove from the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Garnish with lemon zest, red sliced chili and any leftover parsley, cilantro or mint if desired.

Happy 2013!!! This is a modified version of a soup from Andew Weil, as I found his recipe a bit bland and not hearty enough for my tastes. It has so many health benefits and happens to taste delicious. Just a few of the benefits are listed below:

Sweet Potatoes: They are a good source of Vitamin C and D, which play an important role in digestion, maintaining the skin’s youthful elasticity helping us cope with stress and overall health. Sign me up!

Tumeric: It is a natural liver detoxifier and one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatories available. It also has powerful antioxidant properties that fight cancer-causing free radicals.

Cayenne Pepper: The hotness produced by cayenne is caused by its high concentration of a substance called capsaicin. which has been widely studied for its pain-reducing effects, its cardiovascular benefits, and its ability to fight inflammation.

Heat broiler and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss potato, onion, corn, carrot, garlic, and oil in a large bowl. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on prepared sheet and broil, tossing once halfway through, until browned, about 12 minutes.

Transfer broiled vegetables and stir in zucchini, spices, salt, beans, chilies and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.

Once everything is cooked through, stir in coconut milk Place and then transfer 2-4 cups (depending on how thick you like your soup) to a blender and pulse a few times. Pour this mixture back into the original soup pot and stir until mixed evenly.

Yet another thanks to Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks (I am obviously blowing through this book)! I do have to be honest though… as I was making this, I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to taste as it just seemed too simple. But it turned out to be delightful. And it was even better as leftovers the next day, so be sure to make extra!

12 oz delicata squash (or about 2 small ones) – can use butternut as a replacement

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup white miso

1 Tbsp red Thai curry paste

8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes

2-3 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into chunks

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1½ cups chopped kale, tough stems removed

⅓ cup pepitas, toasted

⅔ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle of the oven.

Cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to clear out all the seeds. Cut into ½ inch thick half-moons.

In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, miso, and curry paste. Combine the tofu, potatoes, and squash in a large bowl with ⅓ cup of the miso-curry paste. Use your hands to toss well, then turn the vegetables onto a rimmed baking sheet, and arrange in a single layer.

Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until everything is tender and browned. Toss once or twice along the way, after things start to brown a bit. Keep a close watch, though; the vegetables can go from browned to burned in a flash.

In the meantime, whisk the lemon juice into the remaining miso-curry paste, then stir in the kale until coated. You can also choose to saute the kale first if you prefer.

Toss the roasted vegetables gently with the kale, pepitas, and cilantro. Serve family style in a large bowl or on a platter.

This is on the cover of Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Everyday and it looks oh so inviting. I have this book displayed in my kitchen so I could barely wait to try this recipe out. I, of course, made a couple of modifications that are reflected below but a big thanks to Heidi for sharing her wisdom and to Steamy Kitchen for capturing this shot!

Pour the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the potatoes and spread them evenly in the pan. Cook the potatoes for 5 minutes or so, make sure you scrape and toss the potatoes during cooking so that you can get each side browned and cooked through.

Add in the shallots, the white beans and the paprika spread all around the skillet. Let cook, undisturbed for 2 minutes to brown just a bit, then scrape and toss again, making sure to cook until the beans are nicely browned on both sides.

Stir in the cabbage and cook for another minute or so until the cabbage looses a bit of its structure. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir and toss again.

Sweet potatoes are not a super food for no reason. They have countless health benefits including being a great source of the vitamins and minerals that help regulate heartbeat, ward off cancer and protect against the effects of aging. They are also a great source of mag­nesium, which is the relaxation and anti-stress mineral. And they taste delicious! Sounds like a win-win to me… and when you make them at home without the deep fryer, they taste just as good.

Spray a sheet tray with olive oil or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper.

Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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Serving Suggestion: Feel free to roast in combination with onions and or garlic. Eat alone as a side or serve with sauteed veggies and beans on top for more of a main course.